By Ponette Kim
Boston University News Service
Matt Wolff, 19, is a second-year music industry major at Northeastern University and has amassed almost 200,000 TikTok followers under the username @hellothisismatt.
Though Wolff had previously created content under a different username, he began posting on his current account in October 2019. He quickly found his niche in “reaction” videos, where he would post a screenshot of a popular tweet and green screen himself onto it.
“I’ve always wanted to have some sort of following, ever since I was a kid,” Wolff said. “I’ve made YouTube channels, a bunch of different Instagram fan pages, but nothing ever worked.”
Eventually, Wolff was able to monetize his videos through brand deals and the TikTok Creator Fund, where TikTokers can gain revenue through several factors, such as number of views and level of engagement, according to the TikTok’s website.
“I care about which brands I [work with], because I want to actually believe in the brand,” Wolff said.
Wolff joined the Creator Fund in December 2020 and has made around $1,500, which he describes as “passive income.” As of now, he only accepts brand deals where he’ll be making $100 or more.
To prevent his followers from getting ad burnout, Wolff tries to be as original with his brand partnerships as he can.
“I usually spend a lot of time finding the right video to make for it,” Wolff said. “I like to incorporate a current trend into the video — that way, it doesn’t feel like a brand sponsorship, it just feels like a normal TikTok video.”
Though Wolff has a significant following, he didn’t tell his friends in the beginning. His roommate, Joshua Allocco, 19, stumbled across Wolff’s TikTok account while scrolling through his own For You page.
“I was definitely very shocked to find out that he has that big of a following,” Allocco said. “I just find it very entertaining in general.”
Now, Wolff’s TikTok account is no secret, and he regularly discusses potential video ideas and new brand partnerships with his friends.
“We talk about what he’s doing with it and opportunities that come from it,” Allocco said. “We also talk about ideas, because sometimes he’s like ‘I don’t know what to post.’”
As he’s begun to work with more brands and amass more followers, Wolff sees a lot of potential for his account to grow.
“I think it’s something I want to get more serious about,” Wolff said.
This story is a part of a series of interviews with local TikTokers. Read more here.
